Cotton-picker.



w. c. PRICKETT.

COTTON PIGKER. APPLICATION FILED 1UNE25.19K5.

Patented July 24, 1911 3 SHiETS-SHEET 1.

W. C. PRICKETTL COTTON PICKER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. 19:5.

Patented July 24,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- W. C. PRICKETT.

COTTON PICKER.

APPLICATlON FILED JUNE 25.1915.

Patented July 24, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Elmo/who e- WILL C. PRICKETT, OF BIRMING: w ALABA.

COTTON-PICKER.

Specification of Letters fatent.

Patented duly fhil't.

Application filed June 25, 1915. Serial No. 38,397.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CJPmoxnrr, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State ofAlabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCotton-Pickers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n a cotton picking apparatus whichare more particularly designed for hand manipulation but which .incertain respects are broadly applicable to the general art of themechanical picking of cotton.

My present inventionis more particularly intended as an improvement uponthe manually operable cotton picklng apparatus forming the subjectmatter of my pending application Serial No. 842,496, in wh1ch 1sdisclosed a tubular member comprising 1nternal stripping means whichcooperate with a reciprocatory and preferably a rotary picking spindleadapted to be projected from and drawn into the mouth of the tubularmember.

- tecting the bearing surface of the spindle within the tubularmemberfrom contact with the cotton and to simplify the manner 7 ofstripping the cotton therefrom. In my earlier application the oil guardfor the spindle telescoped the outer end of the spindle bearing but didnot inclose it throughout the operating positions of the spindle. As aresult, in pickingdirty cotton'sand would work down between'the guardand the bearing and cause trouble. Also the spindle shaft with its screwfeed was exposed when the handle was drawn out-or away from the picker,thus permitting trash and sand to work into the outer bearing for thespindle. In my present invention the oil guard extends from the pickingspindle over the bearing and out through the tubular member to'thehandle thus enveloping the bearing for the spindle and its screw feedmembers so as to protect them in all operating positions. This changeinvolves themounting of the dividing saddle (designated by the numeral12 in my prior application) upon the reciprocatory guard d of fasteningit to the tubular member, and in practice I have found that this changegives etter results and causes less injury to the cotton in stripping itfrom the reci rocatory elements and'dischargingit into t e sack.

A further object of my invention is to improve the machine by shorteningas far as possible the tubular memlber without requiring the neck of thesack, into which the picked cotton is discharged, to be moved so as tosubstantially interfere with the cotton stalks in the manipulation ofthe machine.

A further object of my invention is to simplify as far as possible'themechanism within the tubular member for strippingthe cotton from thereciprocatory elements and delivering the cotton to the sack. To thisend I have dispensed with the stripping fingers and pins between theouter end of the tubular member and a point in the tube which is reachedby the teeth on the picking spindle when in its extreme inner position.This arrangement not only simplifies the machine but allows the load ofcotton that has been wound on the rotatable spindle to loosen up andpartly unwind as the spindle turns in its outward movement, thusallowing the machine to be operated with less efiort and enabling thecotton to be slipped practically intact from the rotating head onto thenon-rotatable but reciprocatory portion of the spindle mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to design a novel type of pickerhead in which the cross section of the groove, and the disposition ofthe teeth therein, are especially designed to more readily take hold onthe cotton in stripping it from the bur, and to more easily release thecotton as it is being stripped therefrom in the tubular member. Thisarrangement is also designed to reduce to a minimum the tendency of thepicker teeth to hang on the bur. I I

My invention also comprises various other novel details of constructionand arrangements of parts which are hereinafter more ing the parts inposition with the spindle projected.

Fig. 5' is a similar view showing the spindle retracted.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, with the oil guard and saddlemembers shown in section.

Fig. 7 is a rear end elevation of Fig. 4. Figs. 8, 9 and 10 aresectional views of Fig. 4 taken respectively on the lines 8-8,

99 and 1010.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view of the picker head shown partly insection.

Fig. 12 is a cross section on the line 1212 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a section of the picker head taken on a helical plane on theline 1313 of Fig. 11.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

In the embodiment illustrating my invention, I show a short straighttubular'memher 1 connected at its rear end to a flaring discharge-spout2 having hooks thereon for connecting with the mouth 4 of a sack 5. Therear end of the tube' 1 is slotted on its upper face to receive avertical flange mem-- her 6 integral with an elongated bearing 7 for thespindle 8. This bearing is longitudinally bored to. receive the spindlewith a snug sliding fit, and tapered guide pins or rear end of thespindle is shouldered at 11 andthe spiral spring 12 is mounted thereonto serve as a cushion buffer to arrest the inward travel of the spindle.handle 13 having suitable ball bearing connections with the outer end ofthe spindle which permit the latter to turn freely in the handle.

A stop collar 14 is' provided at the forward end of the spindle and abuffer spring 15 bears against said collar and is adapted to engage theforward end of the bearing 7 when the spindle is retracted. At itsextreme outer end the spindle is provided with a screw shank 16 adaptedto be screwed into the picker head 17. The bearing is connected to thetube by being bolted to a pair of saddle plates 18 (see Figs. 7 and 8),which I provide a plates are riveted on top of the rear end of the tubeand which are formed integral with a frame 19 which extends down alongand bears upon the rear end of the flaring chute. This frame serves as arear end wall for the tube 1 and is provided with a vertical opening ordoor to receive the recipro catory oil guard 20. This oil guard isclosed at its rear end by a wall 21 which is connected to the handle 13and which is perforated, as seen in Fig. 6, for the passage therethrcughof the spindle and spring 12. The oil guard throughout its main bodyportion is U-shaped in cross section, its bottom portion traveling underand in close proximity to the bearing 7 while its upper-edges areprovided with inturned angled flanges 22 which slidingly engage theflange 6 and which travel in close proximity to the top of-the tube 1.Near its forwardend these flanges 22 terminate in a vertical wall 23which forms the dividing saddle and which is rounded or made convextoward the outer end of the tube 1. From the base of this saddle the oilguard forms a reduced extension 24 which fits snugly about the spindleand continues to the outer end thereof, being there tapered andmountedupon a correspondingly tapering bearing 25 disposed between thestop collar 14 and the picker head 17 and resting on the spindle. Thispicker head carries an' inwardly flaring guard 26 which receives thetapering forward end of the oil guard 24 so that the latter parts form arunning lap joint that effectively bridges the joint for the passage ofcotton from the rotating spindle to the stationary guard. This portion24 of the guard is made practically equal in length with the toothedportion of the picker head and with the length of the reciprocatorytravel ofthe spindle. It is provided on op posite sides with a strip ofrearwardly directed teeth 27 and a similar set of teeth 28 is disposedunder the oil guard just in the rearof the saddle 23. Inside of the tube1, and at the rear end thereof, I provide a plurality of rearwardlydirected inclined teeth 29 disposed so that the moving teeth 27 and 28will pass them freely. At the forward end of the tube and externallythereof I weld or solder a plurality of pins 30 which at their outer endsupport an annular guard 31 having bur engaging teeth 32 thereon.Between the guard 31 and the spindle I provide a plurality of strippers33 formed by'plates pivoted on the pins 30 and pressed inwardly bysprings 34 on the pins so that they approach the picker head closelyand, by means of serrating their inner and inwardly inclined edges,serve to strip the cotton from the picker head as it moves outwardlypast them while yielding freely to permit the cottonon the picker headto move inwardlyv past them as the nasaeee spindle is drawn into thetube on the picker head. The strippers have stops 33 which engage thetube 1 and limit the inward movement of the strippers. The arrangementof parts at the extreme forward end of the tube 1 is identical with theconstruction' shown in my pending application and will not therefore beclaimed nor described more, in detail in this case.

The spindle proper, which is illustrated in Figs. 11 to 13 is formed ofany suitable material having therein a plurality of helical grooveswhich are arranged to encircle the headat a pitch greater than that ofthe 5 pitch of the grooves. of the spindle. The

grooves are given a peculiar shape so that, as cut by a*transverseplane, see "Fig. 12, they will present'a wide curved bottom 35 startingfrom the base of an abrupt radially disposed wall 36 and merginggradually into the outer periphery of the picker head. As cut by alongitudinal axial plane, see Fig. 11, the grooves are V-shaped with aside wall 36 rising radially and a flat bottom 35 rising gradually tothe periphery of the picker head. Along what may be termed the rightangled 'junction between these walls 35 and 36, I mount a series ofpicker teeth 37 which are set at approximately an 'angle of 45 degreesto the wall 36 and which have their points inclined rearwardly andterminating just short ofwhere they would project beyond the peripheryof the picker 1 head. I thus form a picker head having its peripheralsurface interrupted by a plurahty of spaced helical grooves havinghelical rows of teeth inclined rearwardly and laterally in the directionof their incoming helical paths of travel and shrouded by the outer 4oedge of the periphery of the picker head.

The difl'erence in the pitch of the helical grooves of the picker headand the threads on the spindle, which cause it to rotate as it isreclprocated, is illustrated in Fig, 11

by the dotted line 13'13 which indicates the pitch of the spindlethreads projected on the picker head. The result of this difference inpitch is thatthe picker head, as it rotates and moves axially past astripper to in the picking tube, will present as it moves a groovedsurface corresponding substantially to that illustrated in Fig. 13. Thisarrangement makes possible the very easy stripping of the picker head asit is reversed,

: the cotton riding oil the gradually rising wall 35 while, in itspicking movement, the cotton will follow in along the wall 35 to theabrupt radial walls 36 which will effectually guard the points fromcontact with to the burs or bolls. 1

In operation, the apparatus is grasped as indicated in Fig. 1, the tube1 being held in axially of the tube to cause the picker head spindlewill be rotated in one direction as it moves out of and in the reversedirection as it moves into the tube. This will cause the cotton to bewound on the'pickerhead and as the head is drawn into the tube to' itsextreme inner position (Fig. 5), .the twisted strands of cotton will becaught by the strippers 33 at the outer end of the head and eld as thehead starts outwardly with a reverse rotation. This reverse rotationwill cause the helical coils of cotton about the head to loosen up andunwind and will leave the cotton loose in the outer end of the tube 1.Continued reciprocation of the picker head will move the loose cottoninto contact with the teeth 27. and 29 which by cooperative action, willadvance the cotton rear- .wardly near to the discharge chute 2,whereupon the teeth 28 will take efiect to draw it and discharge itthrough the chute into the bag. It will be noted that the oil ards 22and 24 completely house allco-acting bearthe tube 1, it acts to freelypart the cotton 95 on either side of the guard 24 so that it will passfreely there about and into engagement with the teeth 29 from whichteeth the cotton is stripped and fed to the chute by the teeth 27 and 28on the oil guard.

For convenience in handling, I may, if desired, provide the tube 1 witha top grip or handle 38 (Fig. 6).

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 2- 1. Ina cotton picker, a tubular member containing internal strippingmechanism, a reciprocatory picker element movable axially through saidtubular member, an intermediate bearing for said picker element whichprojects into said tubular member, and an oil guard movable with thepickerelement and adapted .to co-act with the tubular member to excludethe cotton from contact with in the bearing surfaces within said member,substantially as described.

2. In a cotton picker, a tubular member, a bearing therein with its boredisposed axially of said member, a picker element comprising a spindlemounted in said bearing and having a picker head at its for- I and whichis movable with the spindle, and

means to strip the cotton from the picker head into said tubular member,substantially as described.

3. In a cotton picker, a tubular member having adischarge chute at itsrear end and a stripper mechanism at its forward end, a spindle bearingdisposed within the member and connected thereto, a spindle movable insaid bearing and having an exposed handle portion at its rear end and apicker handle at its forward end, an oil guard extending from the pickerhead to the handle end of the spindle which guard is slotted to pass, as

it reciprocates, the spindle bearing, substantially as described.

4. In a cotton picker, a tubular member having stripping means and acotton discharge opening, a spindle bearing mounted therein andconnected by an overhead support to the tubular member, a spindlereciprocable in said bearing and having at its forward end a pickerhead, an oil guard ex: tending from the picker head through the rear endof said tubular member, and means to reciprocate said guard with thesplndle, substantially as described. a

5. In a cotton picker, a tubular member having stripping means at itsforward end and a discharge chute at its rear end, a spindle bearinghaving a supporting web connected to the top of said member and madeshorter in length than the bearing, a spindle reciprocable in saidbearing and having 1ts rear end projecting therefrom to form a handle, apicker head at its forward end, an oil. guard extending from the pickerhead to the rear end of said tubular member, said guard being slotted topass the bearing web and having its slotted portion adapted to pickerhead, said guard surrounding the,

travel in close proximity to the top wall of the tubular member,substantially as described.

6. In a cotton picker, a tubular member having stripping means at itsforward end and a discharge chute at its rear end, a spindle bearingmounted within the member, a spindle reciprocable in said bearmg apicker head on the forward end of the sp1ndle, a handle on the rear endof the spindle,

and a slotted oil guard extending from handle to picker head and havingits slotted portion disposed to travel in close proximity to the innerwall of said member, substantially as described.

7. In a cotton picker, a reciprocatory picker mechanism comprisingrotatable and non-rotatable sections, and a bearing for the rotatablesection which is housed by the non- -rotatable section, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a cotton picker, a picking spindle having a loose handle at oneend and a picker head fast on the other end, an intermediate bearing forthe spindle, co-acting means on the bearing and on the spindle to rotatethe spindle as it is reciprocated in the bearing, and an oil guardconnected to the handle and extending therefrom to the spindle and itsbearing and having an overhead slot to receive and to permit 1t torehead and position of the toothed ciprocate relatively to the bearingsupports,

picked cotton along 'head at one end, a strippin plate and conveyingtube surrounding t e forward end of said spindle, a non-rota able butreciprocable oil guard which surrounds the forward end extending t'otheconveying tube, and means in said tube to sti'i the cotton from said 011guard to' either side of said saddle as the latter reciproca-tes,substantially as described.

10. In a cotton picker, the combination of a strlpping tube with arotatable and reclprocable of the tube and comprising a toothed picker,

and a non-rotatable ,oil guard movable with the picker element, saidstripping tube having stripping means only at its outer end and at apoint beyond the extreme inner picker head, substantially as described.I

11. In a cotton picker, the combination of a stripping tube witharotatable and reciprocable picker element disposed centrally" of thetube and comprising a toothed picker, anon-rotatable oil .gu'ard movablewith the picker element, said stripping tube having of the spindle backof the picker which carries a dividing saddle picker element disposedcentrally.-

stripping means only at its outer end and at a point beyond the extremeinner position of the toothed picker head, and toothed means on the oilguard co-acting with said lnner stripping means to discharge the cottonfrom said tube.

12. In a cotton picker, a tube having stripping means at its forward endand rearwa'rdly inclined teeth near a discharge opening at its rear end,a reciprocable and rotatable picker spindle movable through said tubeand having a toothed picker head on its forward end, the tube beingshortened to bring the forward end of its discharge opening to a pointadjacent to the picker head in its retracted position, substantially asand for the purposes described.

1? In a cotton picker, a tubular member having stripping means at itsforward end and a spindle bearing connected by a vertical flange nearits rear end, a spindle re ciprocable and rotatable in said bearing, apicker head on said spindle, a cylindricaloil guard surrounding thespindle and extending from the picker head to an intermediate point insaid tubular member, from which point to the rear end thereof said oilguard has a vertical extension which moves close to the top Wall of saidtubular memberv and is substantially U-shaped in cross section, the topedges of said U-shaped portion being inturned to slidingly engage thevertical 7 flange support for the bearing.

14. In a cotton picker, a stripping tube having a rear bottom dischargechute, an elongated spindle bearing mounted in said tube by means of anarrow vertical flange 5 extending part of the length of said bearmg, aU-shaped oil guard housing said bearing and having its open top endsinturned to slidingly engage said flange and to travel in closeproximity to the top of the tube,

W said guard having at its forward end in the tube a cylindricalextension which envelops the forward end of the spindle, and a pickerhead on the spindle having a flanged rear end which overlaps saidforward tubular at extension of the oil guard subs'tantially as adescribed,

15. In a cotton picker, a tubular member having at its forward endstripping means and at its rear end a discharge chute, a spindle bearingconnected overhead to said member, a reci rocable picker spindle mountedin said eating, and an oil guard- 0. were Wimess Norm Wmrsm

